Twenty Things to Do After You Die

By Philip J. Skotte

What happens after we die? Do we disappear? Sit on a cloud? In Twenty Things To Do After You Die, Phil Skotte paints pictures that make you want to cross over, to experience life where the best is always yet to be. Controversial and hard hitting, this book will change you, your view of death and the life hereafter. This present life is mere appetizer. The real feast, with the best flavors, begins after we die.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781973690184

Philip J. Skotte

Philip J. Skotte served as a United States diplomat for almost thirty years in Manila, the Vatican, Hong Kong, Budapest, Moscow, and Shanghai. Before joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a schoolteacher, ship’s carpenter, and commercial fisherman. He loves to hike, bicycle, and volunteer in the community. He and his wife, Maribeth, have three daughters.

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Copyright © 2020 Philip J. Skotte.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

All photos by Maribeth Skotte except the following: Maddy’s photo by Darin and Faith Szilagy; Mona’s photo compliments of the Fava Pot in Falls Church, Virginia; Betsy’s photo by Jennifer Colbert (daughter) and Virginia’s photo by unknown friend.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-9017-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-9019-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-9018-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020906940

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/22/2020

CONTENTS

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter 1     Vic’s Landing – Pilot a Boat

Chapter 2     Mona’s – Run a Cafe

Chapter 3     Voyage of the Untimely – Be a Parent

Chapter 4     Meadow of Desires – Play Ball

Chapter 5     Make a Pilgrimage – Visit the Past

Chapter 6     The Open Road – Take a Hike

Chapter 7     Agrigento – Build Something

Chapter 8     Grande’s Creation – Create a Mosaic

Chapter 9     Equestrian Park – Work with Animals

Chapter 10   Carpet Weavers – Tell Stories

Chapter 11   The Woodsmith – Be a Carpenter

Chapter 12   Vine Clearer – Save Trees

Chapter 13   The Forum – Meet Friends

Chapter 14   Vanya’s Mission – Persuade a Grandson

Chapter 15   Inland Sea – Create Something New

Chapter 16   Discover New Worlds – Do Science

Chapter 17   Climb a Wall – Overcome a Challenge

Chapter 18   Make Music – Fight for Life

Chapter 19   Be a Governor – Imagine and Implement

Chapter 20   The Great City of God – Worship the Lord

Afterword

INTRODUCTION

THERE ARE SIX ROOMS IN Rome’s Capuchin Crypt, decorated with the bones of 4,000 departed monks. There are signs in several languages that say, As you are, we once were. As we are, you will become. The crypt is a strange and powerful reminder of our mortality. We are all, one hundred percent of us, going to die.

There are just six rooms.

This book is the seventh room, about what comes after.

It is for us who preserve our youth at all costs, who fear that the sunset is permanent and dread the onrushing darkness.

The seventh room is for us who must gain the whole world before we are gone; for the stressed and unhealthy, misusing the earth and filling it with our refuse.

For us who, without belief in resurrection, cannot become saints or martyrs.

For us madly doing a thousand things before we die.

In the seventh room we can lose our life, to gain it back in the next world. We can live more simply, consume less, work in slums, generously donate time and money—even die on a cross.

This book is a promise to you, with stories about your future and the things you will do, after you die.

This is the seventh room.

PROLOGUE

LEONARD ATWOOD WAS A FORTY-EIGHT-YEAR old non-religious white male. The doctor who diagnosed Leonard’s brain cancer was about the same age. When Leonard joked about his bucket list, Doctor Sloane told him that he better get moving: he might have a year left.

Leonard had already put a huge dent in his bucket list before his visit to Doctor Sloane. He had penned a book on Hungarian wines while teaching English in Budapest. He had rock climbed at Yosemite, trekked in Nepal and meditated in India. After a stint in the Peace Corps, he settled in Italy for a while. Italy was his favorite, especially the little towns off the tourist track. There he found fine food, good wine and a beautiful woman, Evelina. Together they did their best to enjoy the finer things.

On their coffee table, they had the latest issues of Outside and Conde Nast. Beside the magazines were two books, A Thousand Things to Do Before You Die and A Thousand Places to See Before You Die.

The books weren’t there to remind Leonard about death; in fact, before the doctor delivered his grim news, Leonard barely thought about death. The books were there because they were filled with great ideas for adventures. And every year, Leonard and Evelina had wonderful adventures, some inspired by the books, some from magazines and some recommended by friends.

After his visit to the doctor, Leonard went home. Evelina was at work and the house was quiet. Leonard sat on the couch, absently fingering A Thousand Places to See Before You Die. He thought about the places he had been and the many more he had not been to. It struck him that even another fifty years would only scratch the surface. A lifetime in Italy, another one in Tanzania, several in China—a full human life was a mere appetizer, taste, tease even. He needed more time, much more time.

That’s when Leonard decided to freeze himself.

He called Human Revival Corporation, a cryonic firm in San Francisco, with a list of questions. He arranged a visit and brought his checkbook. The hospital agreed to release his body to HRC moments after his heart stopped beating, so that HRC technicians could immediately freeze his remains in hope that he might be revived when human medical science had advanced further. This might be in twenty, fifty, a hundred years…or never.

Leonard was not stupid; he knew the science of cryonics was sketchy. Human cells are mostly water and, when water freezes, it expands. This expansion bursts the walls of every cell in a human body. It was a poor bet that future scientists would be able to undo the damage of freezing upon the human cellular structure even if they could cure cancer. It was an even poorer bet that future scientists would care about Leonard, his cancer or his ruptured cells. But he also believed that this was his only chance. He had to put his money